Because I inherited Azerbaijan from my Dad, it was long assumed I was just an amiable guy with little aptitude for the harsh realities of politics. A big mistake! I have everything under control. If a journalist refers to me, my wife or my associates in less than laudatory terms, he will soon learn what I am made off. Death threats, kidnappings – my thugs stop at nothing. But that doesn’t prevent us from sometimes acting with tact. With the help of sex tapes and rumours, smear campaigns are often enough to bring our opponents to heel.

It looks like revolutions and people’s frustrations aren’t just characteristic to the world of the Middle East. Not far from Egypt, Tunisia, Libya to name just a few, rests a country on the shores of the Caspian Sea.

(Berlin) – An Azerbaijan court sent three political activists to pretrial detention in recent days on dubious charges of illegal weapons possession. The arrests bring to seven the number of youth activists detained in connection with a peaceful protest on March 10, 2013.